Canto 5: The Creative Impetus
SB5.2

Canto 5 · Chapter 2 · 23 verses · 1 story

The Activities of Mahārāja Āgnīdhra

Āgnīdhra marries Pūrvacitti, fathers nine sons, and remains attached to her after she returns to heaven.

Read on Vedabase
Connected storiesDuṣmanta and Śakuntalā
Who is speakingSūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitEvery voice in this chapter ›

What this chapter speaks about · the ten subjects

Chapter summary

In this chapter, the character of Mahārāja Āgnīdhra is described. When Mahārāja Priyavrata went off for spiritual realization, his son Āgnīdhra became the ruler of Jambūdvīpa, in accordance with Mahārāja Priyavrata’s instructions, and maintained its residents with the same affection a father feels for his sons. Once Mahārāja Āgnīdhra desired to have a son, and therefore he entered a cave of Mandara Mountain to practice austerity. Understanding his desire, Lord Brahmā sent a celestial girl named Pūrvacitti to Āgnīdhra’s hermitage. After dressing herself very attractively, she presented herself before him with various feminine movements, and Āgnīdhra was naturally attracted to her. The girl’s actions, expressions, smile, sweet words and moving eyes were fascinating to him. Āgnīdhra was expert in flattery. Thus he attracted the celestial girl, who was pleased to accept him as her husband because of his mellifluous words. She enjoyed royal happiness with Āgnīdhra for many years before returning to her abode in the heavenly planets. In her womb Āgnīdhra begot nine sons — Nābhi, Kiṁpuruṣa, Harivarṣa, Ilāvṛta, Ramyaka, Hiraṇmaya, Kuru, Bhadrāśva and Ketumāla. He gave them nine islands with names corresponding to theirs. Āgnīdhra, however, his senses unsatisfied, was always thinking of his celestial wife, and therefore in his next life he was born in her celestial planet. After the death of Āgnīdhra, his nine sons married nine daughters of Meru named Merudevī, Pratirūpā, Ugradaṁṣṭrī, Latā, Ramyā, Śyāmā, Nārī, Bhadrā and Devavīti.

In this chapter

Who · Mahārāja Āgnīdhra, Pūrvacitti, Lord Brahmā

The story · After Priyavrata retired for spiritual realization, Āgnīdhra ruled Jambūdvīpa and protected its people with a father’s affection. Desiring a son, he practiced austerity in a cave on Mandara Mountain, and Lord Brahmā sent Pūrvacitti to him. Attracted by her beauty, Āgnīdhra pleased her with sweet words, and she accepted him as her husband. They had nine sons, to whom Āgnīdhra gave nine islands, before Pūrvacitti returned to her heavenly abode. Still absorbed in thoughts of her, Āgnīdhra took his next birth on her celestial planet.

What it teaches · Āgnīdhra’s continued attachment to Pūrvacitti shaped his next birth. His royal enjoyment did not satisfy his senses.

Beyond this chapter

Connected stories across the Bhāgavatam

Stories told in other chapters that this chapter's verses or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purports bring in, the other Bhāgavatam verses the purports quote, and stories in other cantos with the same themes. Each link shows the sentence it comes from.

Duṣmanta and Śakuntalā

SB 9.20 · Duṣmanta and Śakuntalā

What it teaches · The text calls Śakuntalā and her son irreproachable despite the King’s refusal to accept them. It also honors Bharata’s generosity in sacrifice.

For example, after Menakā, the celestial woman who had come to delude Viśvāmitra Muni, gave birth to the child Śakuntalā, she left both the child and her husband and returned to the heavenly planets.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 5.2.20 (Text 20)

Even the advanced yogī Viśvāmitra broke his mystic practice to unite with Menakā and beget a child known as Śakuntalā.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 5.2.5 (Text 5)
Read the story in SB 9.20

Same themes in another canto

Both chapters carry these themes strongly in the themes map, an editorial reading of each chapter's story.